Fireworks caused house fire over the weekend in Aurora

A house fire in Aurora on July 3, 2017, was the result of illegal fireworks. (Aurora Fire Rescue )

An Aurora man shooting fireworks mortars over the weekend caused his house to burn, leading fire officials to warn people of the risks of shooting them.

The fire started after midnight Saturday at a home on the 17000 block of East Utah Place, said Laure Bridges, an Aurora Fire Rescue spokeswoman.

"The guy doing the shooting was indeed the homeowner," Bridges said.

The homeowner had been shooting the fireworks earlier in the night. Fire investigators believe sparks ignited bushes near the house and that those bushes smoldered for some time, Bridges said. The fire eventually made its way to the home's attic.

Flames destroyed the home's roof and some property inside, she said.

"It was over the garage," Bridges said.

The fire department sent four engine companies and two truck companies to the house. A brush truck stayed overnight to watch for flare ups, she said.

The homeowner did not receive a citation for using illegal fireworks, but fire investigators confiscated about $300 worth of mortars. Mortars come with launching tubes and users push aerial shells inside before lighting a long fuse. The shells burst into the sky and explode in patterns similar to professional fireworks.

Fireworks that make loud noises and explode into the sky are banned in Aurora, and the house fire "is why they're illegal," Bridges said.

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